Toe-cutting attachment for upper-stretching machines.



R. F. MCFEELY.

TOE CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR UPPER STRETCHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I7. I9I3.

1,149,202. PaIenIed Aug. 1o, 1915.l

II f

A FI@ 2.l

COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPII CUINMSHINCITGN. u. c.

A C NTED SrArEs EAEEN@ @FECE- EQNALD nfMCEEELY, or,EEvEie'niQ` MASSACHUSETTS, AssiGNoafTofUNi'rEn 'snoEfiy MACHiNERYyCCiviPANY, oErATEEsoN, NEW JEEsEY, A CORPORATION orl NEW JERSEY. `r

ToE-CUTTINGATTACHMENT Eon Urr-EasTEETCHING MACHINES.

` `Specification of Letters Patent.y PatientedAug. k10, 1915,

A Appiieationfileiiarmremioer17,1913?` sfeiiaiNq. 861,501.'

To all whom @may concern.:

Be it known that il, .RONALD .F.flVlclTEELY,

acitizen. of theUnitedStates, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain IIn-.rl pi'ovements in Toe-Cutting Attachments for UppenStretchingl Machines, ofk which the following description, `inL connectionwithy the accompanying drawings, is la specication,'like referencecharacters on the drawings ,indicating rlike parts ,inv the severalr figures. y ,y .a y e This invention relates to machines for a stretching an upper over a last, such for exf ample .as pulling-over machines fand lasting machines.

bottom "and fastening -it toy the innersole.

. Oneof the problems in securing satis,factoryl 20 bottomk about theu toe. Thinand-` pliable `inaterials are satisfactorily plaited and folded but stiff upper. leather and `bulky materials ai'eulasted more smoothly in the manufacture oflVIcKayfshoes if they4 are slit and particularly if 'they are slit at each lateral side of the middleof the toe sothat the fullness at oppostesides ofthe toe ycan be lapped ,over the stockatthe end of the toe. This slitting can be"performed` advantageously inthe pullingfover machinetand automatic cutters have been proposed `which were associated with the toe gripper, difliculty heretofore experienced, however, has been that ytheslits formed in the up-y drawn upper held bythe gripper``.were not made to terminate Lat a uniformdistance fromtheplane ofthe shoe bottom, but were dependent upon the position occupied by the gripper, which, in turn,fvaried with the 1 come this diiiiculty and animportant feature of the inventionconsists inthe novel com- 'Y binationy with ya gripperand a cutter to slit the upper, 'of ,meansvto' position the shoe, kand operating mechanism. for thecutter organ-KY n izedtoiforin slits the stretchedupperthat s Such, stretching is usually pre-pv paratoryto drawing the upper over the shoe;

will terminate ata uniform distance from the edgeof the shoe bottom. Mostv conven-` iently the 'cutter moves with the gripper yand it may advantageously be carried by the gripper. `As herein shown there is employed 4the type of, chisel-like cutters shown jin prior `United States Lettersr Patent f No. 786,047, granted'on my application Mali 28.

In the machine/of that patent .there is noth-f ing topredeterniine with certainty the plane f. ,ofthe shoe bottom or` the altitude of they portion ofthe shoe edge toward. which Ithe slitting knife is actuated. There isla rest engaging the shoe bottom at a singlepoint andin practice the operator, who holds andk u positions the shoe entirely by his hands,

fulcrums the shoe about the resting point` and rocks theedge upA or down'according` as the upper is'short or long or is shorter on one side of the toe than on` the other side.

Therefore, inthe practical ,use ofthat ,majk

chine there is lack of uniformity Ithe relation of the terminal end of the slits to the shoe edge which thisk invention eliminates ,by the introduction into the combination ofk means to predetermine the plane of the shoe bottoni and thev altitudel of the shoe edge` relatively to the cutter actuating mechanism` u A further feature of, this invention consists in, the combinationwith a gripper, ,of f

guides on each ylateral edge of the gripper, knives having their Shanks mounted in the *guidesA and means organized to operate the.`

knives to form slitson opposite sides of the gripper. As shown in the drawingsthe knives are operated to form simultaneously of .the grippergand .the cuttingstroke of the knives is terminated in a predetermined re-l slits which `converge toward .the lower end lation to the plane ,of theshoe engaging face..y

oi asole rest whichhas a plurality of feet spaced apart longitudinally and transversely of thenshoe so that the plane of the shoefy bottom isl established and theslits extend to,

a predetermined distance from the shoe edge.

The'lforegoing and other features of this invention, including certain detailsof con-` struction landy combinations of parts, vwill now lbe described with the aid of the acc0mpanying drawings-andthe invention will4 thenmbe ...particularly pointed out.'v in the Figurel l is la side elevation off so much of a 'pulling-over machine of the type disclosed in United lStates l Letters Patent No.k

1,029,387, grantedon my application June 11, 19312, as is necessary for showing thel present. invention. Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the toe gripper and `the actuating mechanismfor the slitting knives. Y ,Fig.` 3 isaperspective view of one ofthe slitting knives; 'and Fig; 4 shows va portion` of v"a sl1oe,"i'llustrating rthe operation of a machine equipped with the present invention. f V" "Th'e machine, as'more eXplain'edin. Vsaid-lastlmentionedpatent, comprises a sole restl yh alxili'fggfa "plurality offfeet 2,v 3, 4, en'f' gaging lthe shoefv bottom j at Vlpoints spaced apart va substantial fdi'stance both widthwise aindftransverselyfof'the fshoe assho'wn Fig'. Lg andfconstituting a threefpointbearing fo'r vdeterminingthegplaneof the shoe bottom. /l/ Vhile the sole rest is connected top-*operating mechanism and has'l certain.V movementsfully describedin said pa'tent,f` thosev movements are uniform for each shoe serve togpp'osition4 everylvshoe with its bottom"inffapredetermined plane'at the conclusionk of: the upper stretching Voperation 4by Y they grippers. Themachine comprises three' "or'more grippers arranged at the opposite sides/vof" the bail and at the end of the toe offwhichitoe gripper is 'shown in Figs. 1 and'jZ. :The ytoe gripper is `operatedy by 'power 'transmitted:through yielding mecha'nism .to stretch `the upper and to com e to rest holding the upper updrawn ina directionn substantially! yperpendicular to the planeof'thenshoe bottom.

vrOn each 'lateral edge-of the toe gripper are-"formed "g'uides 6 Vinclined 'downwardly toward each other.4 yIn the guides are fitted the: preferably cylindrical Shanks '8 bearing chisel-"like knives 10, each knifebeing normallyupheld springs 12 inclosed within the- Shanks k8 and yacting downwardly f against a stud l'projecting from the frame i ofthe gripper into a slot 15 in the knife shank. 'Thevsl'ot 15 is formed at its upper portion as y,aspiral so that during the latter @part 4of the cutting stroke of theV knife the vknifeA ,is turned for 'producing a skiving formo'f cutv atthe termination of the 'slit inthchipper,y the spiral i'none shank being reverse'lyr-inclined to that inthe other'to produceloppositely inclined bevels at ,the

feo

two sidesof the gripper. TheV portion 16 of themachine frame within whichthe toe gripper'is confinedagainst lateral Inovement and guided in .its updrawing ,move ment and alsofin its [overdrawing movement forms 'pivotal "supports-for rock-shafts 20 one at :eachiside of' the machine, asf is shown 6 5 in'Fig.--2.-' yEach rock-'shaft has a depending* arm which is connected 22 with the usual side, clamp .supporting arin 23 .ofgthe pulling-over machine which,the normal operation of the machine, fis .moved in- Y wardlv toward the shoe to afford support for the shoel against thethrustpfthe drivers' 2i which fasten'the upper to the innersole by meansdof tacks, see Fig. 4. Each rocky shaft y20 has also any arm projecting"in-V wardly `toward the toe gripper and formed to engage under a shoulder of a spring ipinY 25 n which constitutes theouter end of leven 126 lthat also 'fulcrumed upon the machine frame asfclearly shown 'inn Fig.2`. Th@ vinner end'of each leverZr rests upon the;

upper' end v(of. the"adjacenty knife shank'fS,

the end .of'lthe `lever being,y broadened to j coverftheV knife VShanks in any of the' posi-k tions .to which the gripper isinovedrin lover drawing'the upper'. rThis arrangementpro:

from the vp'ower-operated side clamp Larms 23 to lift the outer ends of the leverlSfQiG and thereby depresstheinner ends kof those levers and 'thrustf'downwardly the knives vfor slitting the'upper whileitis held vtaut by the toe gripper, a'slit lbeing formed at eachside ,of the middle fofthe toe as'indicated inY F ig.l 'A4.- For'adjustably predeter-v mining the altitude tof which the slitting thereby predetermining the relation of the terminalendfof the vslitsjs'o formed to theV edgeof the shoebottom thejspring-pressedf` vpins 25 each haveA a llaterally projecting stud 3,0 engaging a camor wedge-shaped abutment 32 made adjustable in""the"'ma chine frameby a. slot andjscrewy 33. uThel abutment serves to withdraw Vthe pin 25 fromr operative engagement with the hori-v vides that movement shall vbe transmitted e yknives shall be. moveddownwardly and Zontal'armxofthe' rock-shaft at times pres v determined by its adjustmentyfsuch withdrawal Npredetermining' the lower limit kof movement impartedthroughthe rock-shaft arm to :leverr26 and to the' knife." "The re.

lation Vof the terminal en d of thefsltto, the shoe bottom lis.therefore made entirely in-j` which, as .wellv V,as vthe rockishaft 20, i' s' 1carriedfby'gthe frame vof `the machine.

In theuseof the machine the shoe ispo-y sitioned with its bottomcrfinnersole against thesole rest 2, .3, 4 andthe upper is posi? tioned within the jaws vofthe grip'p'ers after which the grippers are Y actuated for stretchplane of theV shoe Cbetteln.with relatinnv to the iframe of the machine; `The machine comes to rest'i'atithe" end off' the upper stre'tch-` lio y y12,5 ingthe upper, the sole rest resisting placement of the last and determining vthel abutmeiits 32 force the pins 25 away fromv the rockshaft arms and disengage the levers from said arms thereby discontinuing the downward movement of the knives and locating the terminal ends of the slits relatively to the edge of the shoe bottom at points predetermined by the adjustment of the abutments inasmuch as the plane of the shoe bottom has previously been predeter-v mined by the sole rest. It is to be noted that at the time the knives are operated the shoe is fixed in its position entirely by the machine and there is no opportunity for that position to be varied in a way to cause the slits to be'terminated too remote from, or to be eX- tended too close to, the edge of the shoe bottom. At the end of the machines operation the side clamp arms are moved outwardly thereby lowering the horizontal arms of the rock-shaft 20 and causing those arms to reengage under the shoulders of the spring pins 25.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described a preferred construction embodying the same, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A machine for stretching shoe uppers having, in combination, means for predetermining the plane of the shoe bottom, a gripper, a knife, and automatic means for imparting to the knife an upper slitting movement extending through the upper held by the gripper and terminating at a prede* termined distance from the plane in which the shoe bottom is maintained.

2. A machine for stretching shoe uppers having, in coinbinationa sole rest, a gripper, a knife, and means for imparting to the knife a slitting stroke extending into pre determined relation to the plane of the shoe engaging face of the sole rest, said sole rest having a plurality of feet engaging the shoe bottom at points spaced apart transversely and longitudinally of the shoe whereby the plane of the shoe bottom is established and the relation of the terminal end of the slit to the edge of the shoe bottom is established.

3. A machine for stretching shoe uppers having, in combination, a gripper, guides formed onV each lateral edge of the gripper.l knives having their Shanks mounted in said guides and means organized to operate both knives simultaneously to form slits ony opposite sides of the gripper.

4. A machine for stretching shoe uppersy having, in combination, a gripper, guides inclined downwardly and inwardly toward.

one another, knives having their Shanks mounted in said guides, and means organized to operate both knives simultaneously to form converging slits on opposite sides of the gripper.

5. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, a sole rest, a gripper, a knife arranged to slit the upper pulled by the grip? per, aside clamp carrying arm movable into and out of position for supporting a shoe against the sole rest, and operating connec-A tions'from said arm to the knife for causing the knife to doits work.

6. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, a sole rest, a gripper, a knife arranged to slit the upper pulled by the grip-V per, a side clamp carrying arm movable through varying distances into position to support shoes of diiferent sizes against the sole rest, and operating connections from said arm to the knife to impart to the knife a slitting movement terminating in predetermined relation to the plane of the sole rest.

7. Apulliiig-over machine having, in combination, a sole rest, a gripper, a knife arranged to slit the upper pulled by the gripper, a side clamp carrying arm movable into and out of position for supporting a shoe against the sole rest, and operating connections from the arm to the lniife organized for adjustment to cause the knife to cease to be actuated at a predetermined point in the movement of the arm which point can be v adjusted.

8. A machine for stretching uppers having, in combination, a gripper, a frame relatively to which the gripper is movable for stretching the upper, a rest to engage the shoe bottom and resist the pull of the gripper, said rest having a bearing on the shoe bottom at a plurality of points spaced apart suitably to predeterniine the plane of the shoe bot` tom, a slitting knife, a rock-shaft supported by the frame, operating connections from the rock-shaft to the knife for moving the latter which connections can be adjusted to terminate the slitting movement of the knife at different points in the movement of the 4 rock-shaft, and means for operating the rock-shaft.

9. A pulling-over machine having, in combination, a gripper, a sole rest, a side clamp rock-shaft supported by the frame, and operating connections from the side clamp carrying arm through the rock-shaft to the Y knife orlefeeting a slitting stroke ofthel latter into predetermined .relation tothe sole lQ-St'.

l0. A machine for stretching'shoe uppers having, inl combination, a gripper, guides formed on each lateral edge of the gripper,

knives Lhaving their Shanks mounted in Said.V guides,and-means organized to advance both knives simultaneously and to turn thetWo knives in Opposite directions for Vforming.

slits on opposite sides of the gripper to prodnce it tongue offleather held 'bythe grip? per and having' yits opposite edges reversely VIn testimony whereof I have' signed my 15 naine to this, speclea-tien inthe presence of'V two subscribing Witnesses.

yRONALD F. MCFEE gY;

Witnesses: e CHARLES H. HOYT, v 1. y(heIARLEs E.,GRUsH.

Copies of1-this`patentmaybe obtained for five cents each, by :addressing .the f Commissioner of Patents,

`. f QWashington, D. C. v l 

